In the Line of Duty 



A Military Drama in Two Acts 



BY 



EDWIN BATEMAN MORRIS 

Author of "THE FRESHMAN," "THE ARCTIC 
ARCHITECTS." etc. 




PHILADELPHIA 

THE PENN PUBLISHING COMPANY 

1910 




S5Z5 



Copyright 1910 by The Penn Publishing Company 



^G\.D:.2i,430 



In the Line of Duty 



In the Line of Duty 



CHARACTERS 



Jacquelin Enrighty a Virginia girl. 

Mrs. Enrighty her inother: 

Lieutenant William Hardy, U. S. A. . a Union officer. 
Captain Warren Cooke, C. S. A. . of the Co?ifederate 

army. 

Henry a servant. 

A Sergeant. / 

Period : — Autumn, 1864. 

Time in Representation : — One hour. 



COSTUMES 



Jacquelin wears costume of the sixties — a light dress 

very simply made, fitting closely the shoulders and arms, 
full in skirt, low at the throat with flat lace collar or trim- 
ming ; white stockings and black pumps with bows of black 
narrow ribbon tied over the insteps. If possible the hair 
should be parted and a ribbon worn in it. Shawl. 

Mrs. Enrighty. Black dress of the period, shawl, keys 
at belt, brooch or breastpin at throat. 

Hardy. Dusty blue uniform, boots over trousers, belt, 
holster and old-fashioned long Colt's revolver, cap. 

Cooke. Act I, blue uniform coat much the worse for 
wear, dingy civilian trousers, no hat. Act II, gray uniform, 
sword, pistol, cap, boots. 

Henry. Shabby dark suit. 

Sergeant. Blue suit, dusty ; boots in trousers, cap. 



PROPERTIES 

Act I. — Rug, with sword rolled up in it. Match-safe, 
with matclies, hung against wall, r. Bell on table. Paper 
and pencil for Jacquelin. Dust-pan for Henry, Cigar and 
revolver for Hardy. 

Act II. — Candles on table, mantel, etc. Bell on table. 
Sewing materials for Jacquelin. Cloak for Hardy. Re- 
volver for Cooke. 



SCENE PLOT 



r 



DOOR 

^^ .R\ 



H0U6E' 



DE3f^ 



PAS5A0£ 
DOOR 

- c 




OOOR 
^PORCH 



Q CHAIR 
TABLE 




In the Line of Duty 



ACT I 

SCENE. — Room in Mrs. ENRiGHTY's//t7//i'^. Door r. u. e. 
to house. Door L. u. e to porch. Door c. to secret 
passage. This is best arranged as a secret door in 
paneling. But if this is not practicable, a curtain or 
tapestry may be hung against ivall, concealing door. Or 
by slight changes in the lines, the passage may be sup- 
posed to open at the back of a closet. The door of the 
closet iti this case is not concealed, but the entrance to the 
passage is supposed to be concealed withi/i the closet. 
Table and chair c. Chair down R. Sofa down L. 
Desk or *' secretary " up r. Match- safe on wall up r. 

{^Enter Hardy a?id Sergeant, l.) 

Hardy. Put a guard all around the house, and see to 
it that this man does not escape. 

Sergeant. Yes, lieutenant. 

Hardy. He is a rebel officer, but he is in civilian 
clothes, they say. 

Sergeant. We will get him, lieutenant. 

Hardy. All right. That will do. 

(Sergeant salutes and exits, l. ll^v.T)Y folloivs slowly ; 
exit, L.) 

{Efiter Jacquelin and Mrs. Enrighty, r.) 

Mrs. E. Jacquelin, what shall we do? 
Jacquelin. Never mind, mother. We will get him out. 
Mrs. E. If we had only let him go half an hour ago. 
Jacquelin, Well, mother, we didn't know. We did 
our best. 

Mrs. E. They are sure to get him now. 

5 



6 IN THE LINE OF DUTY 

Jacquelin. There, there, mother. You will be crying 
in a moment. Run along now and lie down. 1 will try to 
arrange this. 

Mrs. E. Very well, dear. You know what to do, I'm 
sure. 

(^Exit, R.) 

(Jacquelin looks about her a?id then opens door in the 
pa?ieling, c.) 

(^Efiter Hardy, suddenly, l.) 

Hardy. Oh, there is a door there then. 

Jacquelin. It's a closet. 

Hardy. For what purpose ? 

Jacquelin. Oh, we keep — just a few pieces of silver 
there. 

Hardy. Just a few pieces of silver ? 

Jacquelin. Yes. 

Hardy. I am interested in silver. I shall look. If you 
will stand aside 

Jacquelin. This is a private affair and is no concern of 
a Yankee's. 

Hardy. Oh, we are concerned in almost everything. I 
must see it. 

Jacquelin. You are no gentleman. 

Hardy. No, madam, I'm a Yankee. Will you stand 
aside, or shall I assist you ? 

(^He takes her arm. Jacquelin moves from door, c.) 

Jacquelin. I hate the touch of you. 

{Brushes off arm where he has touched her. ) 

Hardy, Don't brush it. It's Virginia dust, I assure 
you. {Looks into closet.') What a long closet it is, to be 
sure. With a stairway in it. It would hold a great deal of 
silver. 

Jacquelin. Well, I hope you are satisfied. 

Hardy. Perfectly. It is very interesting. 

Jacquelin. I am glad you find it so. And now have I 
your permission to go ? 

Hardy. Your actions are absolutely free in this house 



IN THE LINE OF DUTY 7 

{turning quickly toivard her), except in aiding or abetting 
any one to escape from it. 

Jacquelin. Except in aiding or abetting any one to 
escape from it. 

Hardy. I am glad you understand me. 

Jacquelin {going toward door). You are such a funny 
little Yankee. 

Hardy. I am sure I am glad you appreciate me. 

Jacquelin. You are like the little tin policeman my 
brother plays with. He peers about him and peers about 
him very earnestly, and you feel he is always on the point 
of finding out something, but he never does. 

Hardy. You discourage me. 

Jacquelin. And I suspect the tin policeman thinks 1 
am hiding some one in the house, too. He gave me a 
searching glance when 1 passed through the room. 

Hardy. You should have had your captain annihilate 
him on the spot. 

Jacquelin. My what ? 

Hardy. Perhaps he is a colonel. Or a general. 

Jacquelin. Your Yankee conversation is so discon- 
nected 

Hardy. A little deep for you ? 

Jacquelin. No, but if you will say what you mean. 

Hardy. I thought you were following me. You under- 
stand, of course, why I am staying in this room? 

Jacquelin. To talk to me. 

Hardy. Of course. My secondary object, however, is 
to prevent Captain Gray-Jacket from escaping by this pas- 
sage — perhaps I should say closet. 

Jacquelin. How clever of you. * 

Hardy. You will now understand my disconnected 
Yankee conversation. 

Jacquelin. Everything is clear, since you explain it. 

Hardy. If you say he's a colonel, I'll call him a colonel. 

Jacquelin. I know nothing about it. 

Hardy. That is, you deny there is a Confederate officer 
in the house. 

Jacquelin. I shouldn't take the trouble to deny any- 
thing so absurd. 

Hardy {going to rear of stage, where a rug is rolled up 
on the floor). I hate to interfere with your arrangements, 
but may I unroll this ? 



8 IN THE LINE OF DUTY 

Jacquelin. Yes, but wouldn't you rather take the nets 
off the pictures or break the mirrors or do something more 
amusing ? 

Hardy. No, this interests me. You see, I did it once 
before. {Unrolls rug and discovers sword.) H'm, a per- 
fectly good, well-kept sword. 

Jacquelin. Of all impertinence. Have you no respect 
for the dead ? 

Hardy. For the ? 

Jacquelin {steadily). That was my father's sword. 

Hardy. ''Warren Cooke, Captain, C. S. A." Your 
name is not Cooke. 

Jacquelin. It is. 

Hardy. Then Captain Cooke is not your father ? 

Jacquelin. Yes, 

Hardy. And he is dead ? 

Jacquelin. Yes. 

(Hardy conies down to table and strikes bell.) 
{Enter Henry, r.) 

Hardy. Answer me truthfully. Did Captain Cooke 
come alone into this house this morning ? 

Henry. Yassa, yassa. 'Clare to goodness 

Jacquelin. Henry. 

Henry. That is, suh, I don' know nothin' 

Hardy. That will do. (^;c/V Henry, r.) You didn't 
speak quite quickly enough. Now, of course. Captain Cooke 
is not dead ? 

Jacquelin. No. 

Hardy. And he is not your father? 

Jacquelin. No. 

Hardy. I suppose you know he is a spy? {Goes to 
door, L., a?id beckons to Sergeant without. Enter Ser- 
geant, L.) Take ten men and search the house. 

(Jacquelin starts.) 

Sergeant {saluting). Yes, sir. (Starts to go.) 
Hardy. And take my horse out of the sun. 
Sergeant. Yes, sir. 

{Exit, L.) 



IN THE LINE OF DUTY 9 

(^During this Jacquelin writes a note on piece of paper. 
It must be evident that the note is i??iportant, but Hardy 
does not see it. Jacquelin rolls paper into small pellet 
and strikes bell. HkRDY starts.) 

Hardy. Well, now what ? 

(Enter Henry, r.) 

Jacquelin. Henry, sweep up that Yankee dust. 

[Points to dust from Sergeant's boots.') 

Henry. Yes, Mis' Jac'lin. 

( JVhen Hardy is not looking Jacquelin throivs pellet into 
dust-pafi. She points to paper pellet, and Henry nods. 
Henry sweeps up dust and exits r.) 

Jacquelin. You are an interesting little Yankee, aren't 
you? 

Hardy. Are tin policemen interesting? 

Jacquelin. I only called you that to make you angry. 

Hardy. And you say this other — for what reason ? 

Jacquelin. When a girl loses herself in admiration of a 
man you must not ask her the reason why. 

Hardy. You know you are talking against time. You 
have a little game, 

Jacquelin. I am absolutely guileless, Mr. Lieutenant. 
But how could poor little I do anything? 

Hardy. I'm sure I am interested to know. I am wait- 
ing for it. 

Jacquelin. You have the house surrounded. Your men 
are searching it. You guard the passage. What can I do? 

Hardy. You can be dangerously amiable. 

Jacquelin. Which means lovable? 

Hardy. It depends. What does the word love mean in 
Virginia? 

Jacquelin. It is just a little courtesy a man shows a 
woman — and vice versa. 

Hardy. Which results in 

Jacquelin. It doesn't result. You're thinking of mar- 
rying love. 

Hardy. Am I ? 

Jacquelin. I suppose you are. In the north you all just 
marry a girl because she has a good head for managing a 



10 IN THE LINE OF DUTY 

house — or family connections that will advertise your 
business. Love doesn't enter into it. 

Hardy. Of course that's very true. 

Jacquelin. You all are too cold to be in love. 

Hardy. I think you are wrong. I have a sister who 
was engaged to a man in one of the Pennsylvania regiments. 
He was shot at Antietam. I think if you could have had 
my opportunity for observation at that time you would not 
have said just now that we are too cold to be in love. 

Jacquelin. I'm sorry. 

Hardy. Why is it the men who ought to return never 
return ? Yesterday I shot an officer in a skirmish on the 
hill, and he died in our hospital tent. He had left a girl at 
home too. I would rather have been shot myself. 

Jacquelin. Mr. Lieutenant, you are morbid. You need 
a cigar. 

{Goes to a drawer of desk tip c.) 

Hardy. You don't mean that? 
Jacquelin {holding up cigar'). See ! 
Hardy. I haven't smoked for five weeks. 

{Co7nes down l.) 

Jacquelin. Poor little Yankee. Wait now, V\\ get you 
a match. {She goes R., to get match fro7n match- safe 07i 
wait, and makes a sig?ial off stage, r.) Wasn't it good of 
me to bring you a match ? (Comes down L.) 

Hardy. Indeed it was. I can see it's an exceptionally 
fine match, too. {Strikes it.) You promise not to blow 
it out? 

Jacquelin. Implicitly. 

{Enter Cooke, r., who attempts to steal across back of 
stage, while Hardy is apparently occupied with the girl, 
and escape through passage door. But fust as he is 
about to open it. Hardy ivheels about and holds him up 
with his revolver.') 

{To make this scene effective (Zooyj£. should go slowly and 
stealthily toward the passage door ; and Hardy should 
seem all intent on the cigar, so that the audience will be 
almost sure that the other is going to escape. Hardy's 
movement must be instantaneous > From the tnan indo- 



IN THE LINE OF DUTY 11 

lently lighting his cigar luith tJie situation all against Jiini. 
in a twinkling he becomes the soldier with draivn revolver 
a fid the game in his oivn hands. He must contrive to 
drop the match and with the same movement drop, his 
right hand to his revolver so that he can mak€ a light- 
ning " hold-up.' ') 

Hardy. Captain Cooke ! 

Cooke. Yes. 

Hardy. You're not going ? 

Cooke. Oh, no, I'm in no hurry. 

Hardy. I suppose you know. Captain Cooke, that it is 
usual for officers in the Confederate army to wear the Con- 
federate uniform ? 

Cooke. Yes, if they have sucli a thing. 

Hardy. And that it is certainly a military error to mas- 
querade as a sutler ? 

Cooke. I will explain that at the proper time. 

Hardy. I hope you can. It may require some tact. 

(^Goes toward door, l.) 

Jacquelin. What are you going to do? 

Hardy. This gentleman must be put under arrest. I 
am going to call a guard. 

Jacquelin {closing the door, l., and throwing herself 
against it^. Is Captain Cooke a prisoner of war? 

Hardy. No, he's a spy. They will hang him, I'm 
afraid. Would you mind opening the door? 

Jacquelin. You will be his murderer. 

Hardy. If you do not open the door, I will. 

Jacquelin. The only thing he did was to get a few 
maps. If he gives them up what harm can it do to let him 
go? 

Hardy. That is not my duty. 

Jacquelin. Have you no pity? 

Hardy. Pity is not within the province of a mere lieu- 
tenant. {Goes to door.^ 

Jacquelin. Think of the girl who loves him. 

Hardy. The girl who loves him ? 

Jacquelin. Yes, I love him. 

Hardy. You! {Opens door slowly, a little way.) 



12 IN THE LINE OF DUTY 

Jacquelin {catching his arm). Mr. Lieutenant, will you 
kill him ? The man I love ? 

(Hardy hesitates and then closes the door.) 

Hardy (Jo Cooke). Give me those maps. 

Cooke. There ! {Throws dowti dispatches.) 

Hardy. Is that all ? 

Cooke. Yes. 

Hardy. Then go ! 

Cooke. God bless you. 

Hardy. Go, quick ! Before I change my mind. Go ! 

Jacquelin. I'll show you the way. 

{Exeufit Jacquelin and Cooke, c.) 

Hardy. That's one of the things I wasn't taught at 
West Point. 

{Enter Sergeant, l.) 

Sergeant. The man is not in the house, sir. 

Hardy. I thought not. Very good. 

Sergeant. Shall we search further ? 

Hardy. I hardly think it will be worth while. {Exit 
Sergeant, L. Enter presently ]ACQV¥.Lm,c.) Well, is he 
safe? 

Jacquelin. Yes, I want to thank 

Hardy. Don't do that. Good-bye. I must go. 

Jacquelin. Good-bye. Oh, Lieutenant I don't 

know your name. 

Hardy. Hardy. 

Jacquelin. Lieutenant Hardy, I have something to tell 
you — something amusing. 

Hardy. Then tell me. 

Jacquelin. I am sure you will be relieved. I don't 
love Captain Cooke at all. I never saw him until to-day. 



curtain 



ACT II 

SCENE.— Same as Aa /. A week later. Evening. Candk 
on table, etc. Discovered— ^KQq^j^-Lm and Henry. 

Jacquelin. Did you find Lieutenant Hardy ? 

Henry. Yas, Mis' Jac'Iin. I done fin' him. Yo* jest 
trest ole Henry. I goes along dis yere long street of tents 
—limping along, first de Methodist foot and den de Baptist 
foot (Mars' Darby used to call it de Baptist foot 'cause it 
done shrunk, Mis' Jac'Iin) and one of dem cap'ns he comes 
over and 'lows, '' Whah ye goin', Uncle Dick?" *'Law, 
boss man," I say, <' I's goin' see Lieutenant Hardy," I say. 
"What's yo' 'fair vvid de lieutenant?" he inquire. 'Ts 
got a message from Mis' Jac'Iin Darby," I says. '' Who's 
she?" he says, and law bless me, Mis' Jac'Iin, he ain't 
never heard of the Darbys of Fauquier County. 

Jacquelin. Not really? 

Henry. It's de truf. Mis' Jac'Iin. And he take my 
letter into one of the tents, and in de co'se of a few minutes 
out comes de lieutenant wid a grea' big swo'd jangling, and 
he say, ''Yo' tell Miss Darby it's impossible for me to 
come." And then another cap'n put his oar in and 'low 
he better go. And de lieutenant 'spond he be dam— he 
say he be hanged. Mis' Jac'Iin— if he go. 

Jacquelin. And he's not coming? 

Henry. No, Mis' Jac'Iin. 

Jacquelin. Thank you, Henry. Will you light the 
candles before you go ? 

Henry. Yas'm. 

(^Lights candles. Exit, r.) 

{Efiter Mrs. E., r.) 

Jacquelin. Mother, he wouldn't come. 
Mrs. E. I'm very glad he wouldn't.- I hope I shall 
never see one of the creatures darken my door again. 
Jacquelin. But I did such a detestable thing. 
Mrs. E. Jacquelin, I am surprised to hear you say so. 

13 



14 IN THE LINE OF DUTY 

Nothing we Southern women can do for our country is 
tletes table. 

Jacquelix. Not even lying? 

Mrs. E. But it saved a man's life. 

Jacquelin. Well, perhaps it was best. But I should 
like to have seen the lieutenant. 

Mrs. E. (rising). Jacquehn, you are impossible. Do 
you suppose Yankees have hearts and minds ? No. Then 
what is the use of explaining anything to them ? 

Jacquelin. I do want to explain to him. 

Mrs. E. (severely). Jacquelin, do you like this Yankee ? 

Jacquelin. Mother ! I never heard of anything so 
absurd. 

Mrs. E. Have you seen him since that day? 

Jacquelin. Once or twice. On the road. 

Mrs. E. Did you 

Jacquelin. No, mother, I didn't. I haven't said a 
word to him since. 

Mrs. E. I'm so relieved. Good-night, my dear. 

Jacquelin. Good-night, (is.v// Mrs. E'., r. Jacquelin 
arrajiges ca?idks. hmjuiiing a little song, and takes up her 
sewing. She works on this for a while, and is startled by 
noise behind scenes.) What was that? (Goes to door, L., 
and opens it. ) No one there. (She listens a moment and 
then returns to work. Noise again. She stops to listen. 
Door of passage opens and Hardy enters, c.) You ! 

Hardy. Yes. 

Jacquelin. I thought you said you — you'd be hanged 
if you came ? 

Hardy. I couldn't stay away. I found the end of that 
passage several days ago. I came by it to night because we 
had sudden orders to march. 

Jacquelin. To-night ? 

Hardy. To-night. They wouldn't give me leave. So 
I came by the passage. 

Jacquelin. But won't you be left ? 

Hardy. No. I have a little time. I believe you had 
something to say to me. 

Jacquelin. It is that I am sorry I had to mislead 
you 

Hardy. That does lots of good now, doesn't it? 

Jacqi'elin. It is all I can do now. It was perfectly 
proper of me then — as a war-time measure. 



IK THE LINE OF DUTY 15 

Hardy. You made me betray a trust just to please you, 

Jacquelin. Now, listen. He was a Confederate. I am 
a Confederate. It was my plain duty to help. You will 
insist on imagining the war is a pink tea. Which it isn't. 

Hardy. I am aware of that. So that was what you 
wanted to tell me? Good-bye. 

Jacquelin. .But you forgive me, don't you? 

Hardy. No. 

Jacquelin. Are you always going to hate me ? 

Hardy. I didn't say I hated you. 

Jacquelin. But you meant it. Poor Jacquelin Darby. 

Hardy. Why do you spell your name E-n-r-i-g-h-t-y, 
and pronounce it Darby ? 

Jacquelin. E-n-r-i-g-h-t-y always spells Darby in Vir- 
ginia. 

Hardy. Why should it ? 

Jacquelin. Because long ago the Darbys, in order to in- 
herit some lands, had to change their name to E-n-r-i-g-h-t-y, 
and since then they have always written it that way and 
pronounced it Darby. 

Hardy. How interesting that is. And when you are 
married " will you still pronounce it Darby and write it — 
well 

Jacquelin. Hardy, did you say? 

Hardy (niiich e?nbarrassed^. Of course the year 1864 
is a leap year, but 

Jacquelin. Oh, for shame. And I've been the perfect 
pink of propriety. 

Hardy. You are a very dangerous flower. Good-night. 

Jacquelin. Let Henry get your horse. (^Strikes bell.) 
What flower is it that is so dangerous you are stupefied by 
merely walking by it ? 

Hardy. I don't know. But I know I should avoid it. 

{Enter Henry, r.) 

Jacquelin. Henry, Lieutenant Hardy's horse. 
Hardy. Go down to the end of the passage. He's tied 
to a tree. You won't have any trouble bringing him back. 
Henry. Yassir. 

{Exit Henry, c.) 

Jacquelin. But the worst of it is you never know about 



l6 IN THE LINE OF DUTY 

the flower until afterward. It is like falling in love, Lieu- 
tenant Hardy. You never know until too late. 

Hardy. Don't you? 

Jacquelin. Don't refer to me in that deferential way. 
As if 1 were an expert. 

Hardy. Were you never in love ? 

Jacquelin. Once. 

Hardy. Would you consider it no more than thoughtful 
of me to ask who he was ? 

Jacquelin. It would show an interest. Won't you take 
off your cloak, Mr. Yankee ? It will take ages to get your 
horse. 

Hardy. Thank you. (Takes off cloak and puts it over 
back of chair. ^ Was he good-looking? 

Jacquelin. Oh, no. 

(^E titer Henry, c.) 

Henry. Yo' ho'se is ready, sah. 
Hardy. Be there in a minute. 
Henry. Shall I blanket him ? 
Hardy. Oh, no. 
Henry. Yas, sah. 

{Exitf L.) 

Hardy. Perhaps it would also be no more than thought- 
ful of me to ask if you still love him ? 

Jacquelin. Think of being a horse and having to wait 
around in the dark until some one got good and ready. 
Oh, yes, I still love him. 

Hardy. And do you intend to marry him, by any 
chance ? 

Jacquelin. Would you consider it any more than 
thoughtful of me to ask whether that is really any business 
of yours ? 

Hardy. Wouldn't he ask you? 

Jacquelin. To tell you the honest truth, I don't think 
he had the nerve to ask me. 

Hardy. Does it require nerve ? 

Jacquelin It is a tremendous undertaking. 

Hardy. I should think if he memorized it all beforehand 
and looked the other way 

Jacquelin. Look at me, Mr. Yankee. If you were pro- 
posmg to me 



IN THE LINE OF DUTY 1 7 

Hardy. This is just for the sake of argument? 

Jacquelin. Purely. If you were proposing to me, am 
I so unattractive you'd have to turn your head away? 

Hardy. Come closer to the light. Well, you have nice 
eyes. 

Jacquelin. Don't dissect me. Am I so unattractive 
you'd turn away ? 

Hardy. Oh, I shouldn't look at you from that stand- 
point at all. You see, we Yankees estimate a girl with a 
view as to whether she has a good head to manage a house 
or whether her family connections will advertise our 
business. 

Jacquelin. You speak as if you were looking me over 
with a view to asking me to marry you ? 

(^Enter Henry, l.) 

Henry. Yo' ho'se is getting sort o' oneasy, sah. He 
done kick down a panel o' pale fence, sah. 

Hardy. I'll be out immediately. Put a blanket on him, 
Henry. 

Henry. Yas, sah. Mis' Jac'lin, there suttinly is a 
great commotion and goin's on in de Yankee camp. I 
reckon they is goin' to move. 

Jacquelin. Retreating? Hurrah! Is that so, Mr. 
Yankee ; are they retreating ? 

Hardy. They are falling back. Miss Jacquelin. 

(^Exit Henry, l.) 

Jacquelin. Oh, you must go. You will be left and 
captured, and I should break my heart. Where is the 
cloak ? 

Hardy. On the chair. I shall put it on presently. 

Jacquelin. It's a girl's cloak, Mr. Lieutenant. See how 
well it fits. {Puts 071 cloak.) 

Hardy. Please take it off. You look so charming in it 
I shall be tempted to give it to you, and I'd freeze to death. 

Jacquelin. Wouldn't I have made a good soldier if I 
had been a man? I know just how to do it. {Strikes an 
attitude.') *' Pity is not within the province of a mere lieu- 
tenant." 

Hardy. You are very good to take me as your model. 

Jacquelin. I haven't taken you at all. But you must ^o. 



1 8 IN THE LINE OF DUTY 

-Hardy. May I have my cloak ? 

Jacquelin. Good-bye, cloak. {Takes it off ?) He said 
he would give you to me, even if he froze afterward. But 
he didn't. He is so fond of comfort. 

Hardy. Good-bye. 

Jacquelin. Have you a first name? 

Hardy. Wilham. 

JaCvUELIN. Billy ? 

Hardy. Yes. 

Jacquelin. Oh, I like that. It's jolly. Good-bye. 

Hardy. And — before I go — will you marry me ? 

Jacquelin. Oh — Billy ! Yes. Why didn't you say so 
before ? 

Hardy. There has been so much else to talk about. I 
haven't had a chance. 

{Enter Henry, l.) 

Henry. Law, Miss Jacquelin, a million Confederate 
sojers is gallopin' down de road. De Yankees am all gone. 

Jacquelin. Quick. The passage. Henry, go keep 
them from coming in the back door for a minute. 

{Exit Henry, r.) 

Hardy. Not the passage. It takes me too far out of my 
way. I'm going out the door. 

(Hardy goes to door l. Noise of shouti?ig witJwiit. Jac- 
quelin drags him back.) 

Jacquelin. Quick. The passage. I'm sure they saw 
you. 

(Hardy goes toward passage and then turns hack.) 

Hardy. I must have something first. 

{Takes her in his arms.) 

Jacquelin. Good-bye, dear heart. Now fly. 

(Hardy goes again toward door c.) 

{Efiter Cooke, l., in Confederate ti7iiforni.) 

Cooke [covering Hardy with revolver). Halt I Never 
mind your revolver. 



IN THE LINE OF DUTY I9 

Jacquelin. Oh, Billy, it's my fault. 

Hardy {to Cooke). Well, you got me. 

Cooke. What are you doing here, lieutenant ? 

Hardy. I was just on the point, captain, of kissing your 
fiancee. 

Cooke. I'm very glad to extend any small courtesy, I'm 
sure, 

Jacquelin. What are you doing here? 

CooKE, The enemy has fallen back. We are in pos- 
session. 

Jacquelin. Then my Yankee is a prisoner. He shan't 
be a prisoner, Captain Cooke. I won't have it. Oh, I 
ought not to have kept him. 

Hardy. Don't make a scene, Jacquelin. It can't be 
helped. 

CooKE. I am afraid the lieutenant must consider him- 
self a prisoner of war. 

Jacquelin. But he is the man I love. 

Cooke {opening (foor,c.^. Take the passage, sir. Heaven 
forbid that I should detain any of the men she loves. As 
my successor, I congratulate you. 

Jacquelin. He's your successor because he succeeded 
and you didn't. 

Cooke. Which is very true. I'll be back in one min- 
ute, lieutenant. You'd better not be here then. 

Hardy. Thank you, Captain Cooke. 

{Exit Cooke, l.) 

Jacquelin. Now go. Good-bye. 

Hardy. Good-bye. 

Jacquelin. But remember 

Hardy. Yes ? 

Jacquelin. You may escape from the whole Confederate 
army, but you can't escape from me. 

Hardy. And one thing more. Who was the one man 
you said you loved? 

Jacquelin. He was a nasty little Yankee— Billy ! 



CURTAIN 



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